Perigean recruiting process for remote moderated studies
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OCTO has a contract with Perigean Technologies to help recruit, screen, gather consent forms, and schedule research sessions with study participants, which includes Veterans, Caregivers, Transitioning Service Members, and Reservists. To start recruiting participants for your study, refer to the research checklist. This page will walk you through Perigean’s recruitment process.
Overview of Perigean’s research recruitment process.
1. Database recruitment
Perigean’s database of qualified participants is available for VFS research studies. They continue to grow this panel by reaching out to the Veteran community on social media, such as in the Veteran Usability Facebook and Twitter pages, and in other Veteran-affiliated organizations.
Perigean’s participant database recruitment process.
Recruitment
Potential participants are directed to register at http://Veteranusability.us. Feel free to share this link with Veterans, Transitioning Service members, Reservists, Family Members, and Caregivers interested in participating.
Veteranusability.us website promotion.
Screener Questionnaire
Potential participants visithttp://veteranusability.us, where they’ll complete a quick 5-minute screener questionnaire. As thanks for completing the questionnaire, candidates receive a $5.00 Amazon Coupon Code.
Vetting
Perigean confirms that respondents to the screener are legitimate humans (i.e., not bots or scammers). Perigean does not independently validate their self-reported data.
Participant database
Once candidates are vetted, their survey answers are added to Perigean’s Knack database, which includes demographics like:
Age
Gender
Race
VA Benefits
2. Study recruitment
Remote moderated research is the most common type of recruitment that Perigean handles. These sessions are conducted remotely over Zoom.
The recruitment process for remote moderated studies.
Study request
After researchers complete the Research Review touchpoint and your study is approved, a study request will be sent to Perigean to kick the process off. Perigean will set up the study in the Project Tracker and establish Slack channels.
Participant database
Perigean uses the candidate-provided information in the Knack database to initially down-select participants into studies. This is Filter #1 for matching participants to studies.
Invitations and screener questions
Targeting only the downselected set of matching candidates, Perigean next sends invitation emails that include a link to their Calendly scheduling app. In Calendly, candidates select a workable date/time, and respond to any additional screener questions that are necessary for further specification of the desired participant characteristics as provided in your research plan. Perigean can include up to 7 additional screener questions as a way to ensure the right participants are recruited. This step is often referred to as Filter #2. Only candidates who appropriately respond to these questions will be scheduled for study sessions, but it is important to remember that responses to these questions are also self-reported – Perigean does not independently validate their responses.
Consent form
If a candidate accepts the invitation and passes the screener questions, Perigean will send them the VA-provided consent form for digital signature. Reminders to complete the form will be sent if not completed.
Scheduling
Confirmed sessions are scheduled via Google Calendar, and the project tracker is also updated, providing the participant demographics and the Zoom links for each session. Research leads are provided login information for the Zoom account they will be using.
Sessions
Before the session, Perigean sends reminders to participants and aid in technical support to get them set up and ready for the session.
During sessions, Perigean team members may also take notes directly in GitHub if you've requested note-taking in your research request.
3. Post-study
After the sessions are complete, there are a few more steps that Perigean assists with.
Perigean’s post-study process.
Follow-up email
Perigean sends follow-up emails to all participants, thanking them for participating and confirming that compensation will be sent to the address they provided at registration. Research teams can request that Perigean provide additional follow-up information, but such information should not involve additional tasks.
Compensation
Once a session is complete, Perigean compensates the participant with a paper check. Compensation scales are set by the type and duration of the study session.
Recordings
Recordings may be retrieved from the Zoom account by the research lead. This can be done anytime during the study. However, once the research lead has closed the study, all recordings should be downloaded within 24 hours to allow the account to be used for other studies. Perigean will remind research leads to do so.
Help and feedback
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